HelenKay Dimon shares 5 of her favorite British crime shows

HelenKay Dimon shares 5 of her favorite British crime shows

HelenKay Dimon, whose romantic suspense The Protector came out at the end of July, joins us to highlight five of her favorite British crime shows.

HelenKay Dimon (Photo: James Miyazawa)

HelenKay: I write romantic suspense, so it probably isn’t a surprise I’m a fan of shows with mystery, suspense and maybe a bit of romance. Procedurals, whodunits, serial killers — I can watch all of it. But there is one “type” that holds a special place in my heart — British crime shows. These offer a little bit of everything — incredible scenery, a crime to solve (hence the title of the list) and amazing accents. Some take place in cities. Others take place in the beautiful countryside. Now and then I’m not sure exactly where they take place, but I don’t care. From the brooding atmospheric type to the lighter fare, I’m in.

I could make a list of 20 and include some old favorites like Inspector Lewis, Broadchurch, Sherlock and Happy Valley … really, I could keep going, but here are my five current favorites that I suggest others try …

The Tunnel. This series starts off with a woman found dead in the tunnel that runs through the English Channel and connects England with France. Half of her body is in each country — not kidding — so the countries have to work together to solve the crime. It stars a male British detective and a female French detective and explores their friendship (rocky), their work partnership (surprisingly effective), their respective families (never dull) and their love lives (everyone makes super bad and frustrating choices in this one), all while a series of crimes unravel around them. And for those still confused by the title, the characters literally travel back and forth through the tunnel a billion times, visiting both countries, through all three seasons.

Death in Paradise. This is the option on the list with the lightest tone. It’s a charming police procedural set on the fictional island of Saint Marie (real-life Guadeloupe). No gore. No grit. Lots of murders. Like a lot. Do not vacation there. Honestly, I can’t imagine what the brochure for this island must say because the death count is really high. It makes Cabot Cove look safe (a Murder She Wrote reference for the fans out there).

James Norton and Robson Green in Grantchester. (Photo: ITV for Masterpiece)

Grantchester. I have two words: James Norton. Go Google him. I’ll wait … See? It’s set in the 1950s in Cambridgeshire. The lead is a flawed vicar. Yes, you read that right. Anglican vicar. The sidekick (and I mean that in the best possible way) is a very imperfect and grumpy police detective. There’s English countryside. There’s a church. There’s a bumpy romance between the vicar and the woman he should have admitted his feelings to but let her marry someone else instead (men … honestly). There’s also a dog because of course there is. Did I mention James Norton? Enjoy him now because he’s leaving in the fourth season. You will know the exact moment it happens by the sound of my screaming.

Vera. This one follows a middle-aged woman who waffles between ignoring her demons and wrestling with them, who is completely driven by her job and who is the boss. She is a tad crabby (this is me being generous) but still endearing. I literally could marathon this show all day without moving out of my chair.

Holliday Grainger and Tom Burke in CB Strike. (Photo: Steffan Hill)

CB Strike. This is called Strike in the U.K. and CB Strike in the U.S. No matter the name, this one flies under the radar, but you shouldn’t skip it. It’s based on a series of books written by J.K. Rowling. No, not that series. A series she writes under a pseudonym. The first season consisted of three crimes, each one taking two to three episodes to solve. The leads are a veteran who lost part of his leg in combat and also happens to be the estranged son of a famous rock star, and a plucky (no, really, the description fits here) female assistant-turned-partner who always wanted to be a detective and is really good at it despite her lack of training. But don’t get me started on her fiancé. Not a fan.

And now I have the sudden urge to go rewatch all of these and find some new shows. Lucky for me, the Brits continue to make great crime shows for me to find (Unforgotten, I’m looking at you), watch and love. So, I’ll be back at some point to tell you about those.

About The Protector:

Salvation, Pennsylvania. The commune located in the small town was advertised as a modern Utopia: a place to live, share, and learn with other like-minded young people. Cate Pendleton’s sister was one of them. Now she’s dead—and Cate won’t rest until she finds out who killed her. Stonewalled at every turn, she approaches a DC Fixer for help and ends up with Damon Knox, a mysterious man with a secretive past. But Cate soon discovers that she not only needs Damon, she wantshim, which isn’t good—for the attraction brewing between them will only lead to complications that can turn into danger …

Damon has tried to erase the hellish memories and the evil that happened in Salvation ever since he left a long time ago. Still, he can’t turn his back on Cate. As Damon works with Cate to uncover her sister’s killer, he finds himself drawn to her more and more. But how will she feel about him when she learns about his connection to the place?

Joining forces to uncover the truth, they must stay one step ahead of a cunning killer who’s bent on not being exposed.

About HelenKay

HelenKay Dimon is a divorce lawyer turned full-time author of over 40 romance novels and novellas. Her bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues, including The Washington Post and Cosmo. She is an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award winner and RITA Winner in romantic suspense.